Sleuthing time, here’s a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro that is claimed to have been a genuine SS396 car. I’ve formed a fast opinion but let’s look and see what all of you say as I know many of your sleuthing skills far surpass mine. This Camaro is located in Hillsdale, Michigan and is available, here on eBay for $15,300, reserve not yet met.
OK, first up, it’s a roller but the seller has a 325 gross HP, 396 CI V8 engine from a Chevelle. He also states that he has a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmission and, “(he) was told was out of it” meaning that it originated in this Camaro. As we have stated before, Chevrolets of this era don’t deliver much info via the VIN and the VIN listed is a non-VIN. So even with the correctly formatted number, all one could ascertain is whether this Camaro was originally powered by a six or eight-cylinder engine – a six knocking this car out of contention as a genuine SS model.
Underneath are single leaf springs and a ten-bolt differential, not appropriate for a 396 equipped car. Along with the transmission that the seller was told about, he was also told that a twelve bolt differential, which is also in his possession, was originally from this car. Why remove it and the springs and substitute something less? On the plus side, there is a 3/8″ fuel line present, with what looks like a return-to-the-tank line, a standard component on 396 equipped cars but I think the 350 CI, 300 HP engine used the same arrangement.
The body is in fair shape, there is rust around the rear window, probably courtesy of the missing vinyl top, and the floors look to have been poorly patched. The seller advises that the lower quarters are rusty too, a common malady with this generation Camaro but he has patch panels. Curiously, there are no stud holes in either front fender where the “396” emblems should be perched.
There’s only one image of the interior and that shows the back seat, a curious perspective. There is an image of the speedometer too, but that’s about it for inside. The headliner is gravity-bound but it’s hard to glean much else.
So real SS396 or not? If this car were originally equipped with a 350 CI engine, the ten-bolt differential, coupled with an automatic transmission, would be correct, though not the accompanying Turbo 400. A 350 CI engine would have warranted a Turbo 350, three-speed automatic. This one is a tough call. The seller requests, “Please no bs if you don’t like it don’t comment I don’t have time for bs“. I get that concern and can appreciate his position but bs cuts both ways and if you’re going to spend your hard-earned $$$, you want to know, for sure, what you’re getting. So tell me please, genuine or not?
Just another Rusty Wannabee
I’d give him a few hundred for the motor, scrap the rest of it. You can find a better one cheaper if you look around.
Someone will restore this one.
The only thing SS about this car is the BSS he’s shovelling out. Factory with a straight six. I would have kept the Rally wheels if it came with them.
Hah! “BSS” is what I’m going to call poorly cloned SS cars now.
Jeez – put the SS badge where it’s supposed to be at least.
Nice car. Definitely has potential. Seller seems to be pretty straight up about everything. He’s not misrepresenting the car saying it’s an SS.Obviously badges were stuck on there and I like the look. Someone would be a very lucky that on this car.
The question is if it is an origional 396 car or not. The vin could clarify the ss status but not the 396 part
Apparently, Craig Simmens isn’t aware that none of the “Barn Finders” would ever leave a comment like that one, “praising”, the seller, lol 🤣🤣🤣🤣
A rust-bucket wannabe SS396 clone. This Oklahoma car is NOT ‘OK’!
“Please no bs if you don’t like it don’t comment I don’t have time for bs“.
The perfect reason NOT to deal with this moron.
Camaro ID 101. Look at the cowl tag .To bad this guy isn’t showing it . That’s where you start first on any Camaro . Odds are this is a bad clone wanna be. The real deal SS Camaro would have a X-22 ,X-66 , X-77 in the cowl tag , showing what SS motor came from the factory like the above x-codes is a SS 396, 1969 Camaro’s are packaged differently than 1967 which are easy to read , 1968 are a little harder to . Every year is a little different . It doesn’t matter what somebody say’s are thinks if you have numbers on the front pad or VIN numbers to work with you can can figure out if it’s correct matching numbers or it might be a period correct year block or a different year block . Having a correct book helps a lot . If the motor has been decked usually the numbers are going to be gone ,but cowl tags and VIN numbers are where you look first , plus it helps to have somebody with you if you don’t know what you are doing . But it will come with reading and learning . Most sellers who don’t show the cowl tags are usually hiding the truth of the car and don’t say anything to the buyer if you don’t ask .
The tag on the fire wall from eBay photo
does it matter what it is, you can make it what you want it to be, a good place to start.
I am not the seller nor am I related to the nor do I even know the seller.
396s all had multi-leaf rear springs. Mono springs as on this one were normally found on the smaller V8s and I6 cars. I believe that an expert would find that the 396 claims dubious at best.
Auction ended at $16,200 with Reserve Not Met.
Schakels! Please. Seems like a Junior high school special.
A special bomb that is.